Vinnie Ditello is the kitchen manager at The Jeep Grill, a café located inside the Central Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Norwood showroom at 56 Providence Highway, Norwood. The restaurant opened in December 2011 and offers a variety of sandwiches, soups, salads and daily specials. The Jeep Grill is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

What is it like being the chef at a restaurant inside a car dealership?

It is a very unique experience. It’s kind of like being a personal chef for 200 people. You have people who come eat here every day. You want to give them as many choices as possible.

How is working as a chef at The Jeep Grill different from working as a chef at a more traditional establishment?

I’ve worked everywhere from California to Massachusetts. Here, I’m able to communicate with the customer, face-to-face. I can see them, I can talk to them. I can ask if they want their sandwich in multigrain bread or if they want a side of broccoli. You get to know them and can identify them by what they eat.

Why should people come try The Jeep Grill?

We definitely exceed the expectations of people who come here. We have a number of people who come for lunch, including quite a few from University Avenue. We serve fresh food, everything is made from scratch and the quality is good. It will exceed a lot of restaurants.

What is the typical first reaction from someone coming to The Jeep Grill?

The initial response is ‘Wow- I didn’t know you have a café here.’ While we’ve been in business two and a half years, there are a lot of people who come in from everywhere. The initial response is ‘When did you guys do this?’

What is your favorite meal on the menu?

For me, it varies everyday, with our specials. In the fall, we do a lot of beef stew, and that is one of my favorites. You can also get a red leaf salad with fresh salmon, and that tastes excellent.

Is there a particular restaurant you’d like to see us visit? Do you have a favorite bartender you’d like us to interview? Send us suggestions by emailing psalisbury@wickedlocal.com. Staff writer Brad Cole can be reached at 781-433-8339 or bcole@wickedlocal.com. Like The Norwood Transcript and Bulletin on Facebook and follow @bradcolewrites and @NorwoodTranscri on Twitter.